


Recalibrating

by confab_nocturni



Series: Warm ups [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, fic sketch, warm up writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 03:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9697046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confab_nocturni/pseuds/confab_nocturni
Summary: Kara and Cat figure out how to both get what they need.  Kara needs a hug and Cat need air.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a series of warm up writing exercises. The results are sort of head-cannon, sort of fic. They're rough, draft 1.5. Think warm-up sketch for illustrators. Anything in this series will likely have been posted to [my tumblr](http://confabnocturni.tumblr.com/) first.

Once Kara and Alex started getting along, Kara would go to Alex whenever she had a really bad day and burrow in/cuddle up and Alex would squeeze back as hard as she could until Kara relaxed and started feeling better. Sometimes they’d talk about it, but more often than not they wouldn’t.

The fist time it happens with Cat, they’ve been dating for a couple of months.  Alex is at Maggie’s and it’s not like it’s an actual emergency, just a crappy, crappy day. So Kara doesn’t want to interrupt. It’s late and Kara is still in her Supergirl gear, just finishing a patrol. She adjusts course and flies by Cat’s penthouse.  Cat is still out on the balcony going over paperwork for tomorrow’s meetings. Kara lands and tries to curl around Cat without disturbing the papers.  It almost works but there really isn’t a subtle way to get Cat’s arm over and around Kara’s shoulder without Cat noticing.

Cat is, honestly, a little taken aback.  They didn’t have anything planned for tonight.  And, people haven’t ever really come to her for physical comfort.  She and her exes were never this kind of physical, maybe a little bit before or after sex, but this doesn’t feel like that.  

Carter, when he’s stressed likes to be near Cat, in the same room, maybe adjacent, snug in his weighted blanket, but not wrapped around her like a boa constrictor.  

Her mother doesn’t bear mentioning.

Cat doesn’t know what to do with this. She’s worried and little annoyed and uncertain about what to do which is part of why she’s annoyed. At least Kara doesn’t seem to be crying. So Cat figures it probably isn’t anything too bad.  She shifts the papers so they are all in one hand and she can still read them.  Cat’s other hand comes up to Kara’s head where it’s resting on her shoulder and starts combing the hair back at her temple. Kara still hasn’t said anything. Kara still hasn’t said anything and Cat contemplates finishing the report she’s reading but Kara’s grip is making it hard to take a deep breath. Cat doesn’t need her superpower to figure out something is wrong, but she’s not a mind reader.

“Do you want to talk about it?”  
“Not really. Not yet.”  
“Well, you’re welcome to stay the night if you want.”

Kara nods in response. Cat can feel her relax a bit, but her grip does not loosen. She weighs the need to take a deeper breath against the reaction she knows Kara will have to being asked to loosen her grip.  Breathing wins.

“If we’re going to be here for a while, maybe you could relax the deathgrip?”

Kara immediately tries to vacate the couch completely.  And, ok, Cat could have phrased that better, but she is out of her depth and sarcasm is her first response to almost everything.  Plus, maybe a little bit of jealousy has seeped in at the thought that Kara is used to hugging burlier people. But Cat was expecting Kara’s reaction and tightened her grip on Kara’s shoulders before she could move more than a couple of inches.

“No, no. Don’t. Move.”  Kara freezes and Cat continues, “You weren’t hurting me.  We just need to calibrate.”  She pulls Kara toward her; draws her arm back around Cat’s waist.  Cat is relieved when Kara starts to relax and places her head back on Cat’s shoulder.

“Is this ok?” Kara asks.

Cat almost laughs because Kara’s grip is barely there. Her arms are around Cat, but not really holding on.  Cat suspects that Kara might even be floating a little bit to keep her weight off of Cat.  

“Tighter,” Cat says.

There’s a pause before Kara tentatively hug Cat a little closer.

“More,” Cat tries again this time pressing on Kara’s arm trying to demonstrate.  Kara’s hug becomes firmer.  

“Still ok?”  
“This is good, but you could about double it, I think,” Cat replies.

Kara lifts her head up to gauge if Cat really means it. “How about if I gradually hold tighter and you say when?”

Cat thinks about it and then nods.

Kara watches Cat closely for any sign of pain as she starts increasing pressure. After a few seconds, Cat hums “Hmm, ok, there.”

Kara stops where she is, but doesn’t loosen her grip and asks, “This is good?”

“This is good,” Cat confirms.  "I can take a deep breath and my ribs don’t creak,“ she adds with a smile.  Kara’s returning smile is small and a bit sad, but at least she’s smiling. Then she puts her head back down, pressing her nose into Cat’s neck. "Ok.”  
Cat starts to comb her fingers through Kara’s hair again.

Kara realizes that she feels better.  It’s not the same as with Alex but it’s still good.  This thing with Cat is good and tonight, it’s exactly what she needs.


End file.
